Was there a “defining moment” that made Washington Group International proceed with its ES&H goals and programs?

There has never been a “defining moment.” It has been an ever-evolving program that looks for a shared vision and continuous improvement. Please describe Washington Group International’s ES&H accomplishments during the last 25 years. In the 1980s, Ben Rietze, a certified safety professional (CSP) and former ASSE president, was the Corporate ES&H Director of our heritage company Morrison Knudsen (MK). Rietze brought increased professionalism to our organization. Our corporate office then had three CSPs, two certified industrial hygienists (CIHs) who were also CSPs and a certified health physicist (CHP). They encouraged numerous project staff to obtain certifications. We conducted company-sponsored professional development programs and participated in ASSE programs. These were our first attempts to break out of the “safety cop” mentality. During the 1980s, David Snyder, vice president of operations for our mining unit, became a leader in management support. Snyder was a person with ...  more